Raby Big Four

Porsche 914Coupled to the Raby BIG FOUR!We have literally revitalized Type IV performance for the 914!

The Porsche 914 was one of the original intentions for the VW Type IV engine. These engines powered the vast amount of 914s from their beginning in 1970 till their end in 1976. The factory engine started out as a 1.7 and ended up as a much more advanced and stronger engine with 2.0 liters of displacement. The 2.0 cars were much more fun to drive and the extra 20 or so HP that they produced was welcomed in the driver’s seat and actually helped the handling of the 914, especially in hard corners. As you read the following pages, please do not think that we only build race engines for the 914, because that’s just not true. We do any type of engine for your 914 this includes a slightly more efficient stock engine using the stock injection system, (2056cc) or one of our Raby designed 914 specific performance engines with outputs of over 200HP possible. For a list of the RAT 914 specific engines please see the navigation pane on the right side of your screen, here you will find dyno plots and specific information in extreme detail.

The 914 was underpowered and mis-configured from the factory, but the engineers did equip it with a very good engine platform that with some modification can be made to superbly perform, sound great, idle smooth and create great power for near any desire. We have been able to dissect these engines and literally create new engine combinations just for the 914 in many of its most used applications. The factory engineers designed the car to be sold all over the world with most sales in the colder portions of the world and that was 40 years ago.... Due to this the 914 runs hotter than it should for the power it produces, doesn’t get as good of MPG as it should and doesn’t last as long as it can. Due to this we do NOT offer a 100% stock 914 engine rebuild, our version of a "stock rebuild" runs cooler than stock, makes 15% more power and lasts just as long or longer- through modern efficiency.

We specialize in dual purpose, drivable power for 914 engines that are solid and reliable but will allow for track usage as well. These engine designs go from one extreme to the other from simple and just a tad more power and efficiency than stock, to absolutely insane for those hardcore individuals that push the car to the limits. I can help you to choose the engine you need for your goals. The engines we have listed are only base engines for us to start your build process from. Each of these base engines has a recipe here and we know just what to change in that recipe for the engine to work best for you. We offer more standardized engines for those who are looking for 180HP or less and full custom engines for those that want big, reliable power.

As a general rule the 914 demands its own engine combinations due to the weight of the car, and its gearing. The 914 is fairly heavy at 2200 or so pounds and the 5 speed gearbox is very tall geared. This is why my engine program for 914s is so different than everyone else’s, as we have actually taken the time to do the specific configuration for these engines in 914 applications and received feedback on them in our own cars as well as customers vehicles. We have refined the 914 “Big Four” power plant to a completely new level and have created tried and true combinations that we KNOW will perform for you and your 914. I pay very close attention to our 914 customers and their desires because they are so vast, and the slightest change in the engine recipe can make for a big difference in the power output, cooling capability and overall performance.

You'll note that our "Big 4" isn't nearly as big as our competitors and that's because we have learned how to get bigger power from medium displacements while utilizing efficiency to keep the engines reliable and long living. Where most of our competitors use a 103mm cylinder, we'll make more power and keep it alive longer with a 96mm bore. Thats because our engines are truly developed by our in house lab Raby Development and Tuning Labs

Reliability

RELIABILITY

First and foremost our engines are designed to be reliable! Power does you no good if it stays broken all the time!

The Type IV engine is by far the strongest, most solid four cylinder power plant ever offered by Porsche. Its huge main bearings, super strong crankcase, heavily finned cylinder heads and robust internals make for a perfect engine platform for modification. Many times with our recipes we attain 50HP of output from each cylinder of the 914 engine while attaining running temperatures less than or equal to a stock 90HP 2.0 liter engine! This is accomplished through the efficiency that you will read so much about in these writings.

These engines that we have developed based on the stock platform have completely done away with the horror stories of dropped valves and valve seats due to our extensive headwork and better quality materials used for the valve train. ALL RAT engines feature brand new head castings, not re-worked units on their final life before being scrapped. Here we equip engines as required to perform as desired, no matter what cost may be in development, labor or components. We have developed new and better parts and tolerances to get more reliability from the engines that receive our signatures. We do away with pesky oil leaks (our engines DO NOT leak oil) and we ensure that your car will stay on the road longer than it stays in the shop.

Just like all our Type IV base engines, reliability is a must when we configure the combinations. Basically the Type IV engine holds its adjustments so well that even in high states of tune reliability does not deteriorate as HP and torque numbers climb. We can EASILY get you 150, 180 and even 200HP and a flat torque curve and have that engine remain as reliable as a stocker, that’s just how far we have refined these performance recipes. We have many customers that depend on these engines as their only mode of transportation and even with 150HP they can still do it daily as well as travel to the track for a weekend of six cylinder eating and never touch the engine. We consider our 2270/ 155 HP "2270 RT" the engine that the 914 should have been equipped with from the factory. With our program the trade off between performance/ reliability and longevity that typically exist have been eliminated- power doesn't have to mean less of anything else. Efficiency is key. This creates cool running power within a usable range and exceptional reliability and longevity.

Power

POWER- We have it!

All the time I’m asked “How much HP does so and so combination have”………. When this comes up the answer is impossible to answer because I can create any amount of power from any size engine. What we strive for in the 914 engine is a flat torque curve, with a very highly concentrated amount of that torque in a very usable RPM range. Anyone can make power, but where will the power be made and will it be usable enough to be felt on the street? How about on the track?? Will that power band match your gearing and tire sizes?? There are MANY things more important than gross "HP" so never look at big peak HP numbers when comparing engines as average HP, flat torque and a usable powerband will all trump gross "HP" and will make for a faster, more fun to drive car.

Horsepower is a very generic term used more or less just for advertisement purposes. What gets your heavy, high geared 914 rolling is torque. What throws you back in that seat is also torque and what gets you out of that turn and quickly to the next is a mix of torque and HP. Hell, torque is what gets good times at Autocross events where the 914 really shines with its superb handling! Race cars need high HP numbers, street/dual purpose cars need a perfect mix of torque and HP to remain tractable, smooth running; easy to drive and still HAUL ASS… We have perfected this and can replicate it for you. Remember, torque wins the race and horse power sells engines! Also remember that HORSEPOWER is a derivative of TORQUE as it is basically nothing more than TORQUE multiplied by engine speed (RPM), so without TORQUE, HORSEPOWER could not exist!

Horsepower is generally way too over rated except when people talk to me and we start talking torque and broad power bands to better utilize the potential of the car that Porsche blessed us with. With the engine recipes that we have in our program now we feel that we have every area of 914 desire already filled. As we stated above our 155HP engine lives as long, runs as cool and cools better than a stock 2.0 factory engine and that is a direct reflection of that engine’s efficiency! The best way to choose the perfect 914 engine is to allow me to do the task for you, I may just set you up with the same engine that’s in one of my cars. One thing is for sure, add one of our engines to your 914 and you will think you have a completely new car. Faster 0-60 times, better lap times and just plain better performance are traits of our engines for the 914!

All this and NO LOSS of reliability or drive-ability!

Application

APPLICATION

Since your 914 was set up from the factory with Type IV power there is no need to do a “conversion” as many other vehicles must to attain the level of power and reliability that our Type IV is known for. With one of our engines you simply pull your old engine out, ship it to us and we’ll send it back 100% dyno tuned and ready to perform. Most of our mild engines do not need any extra aid in cooling their heads or oil other than the stock system for doing so. As performance increases the demand for oil cooling increases especially if you see track days with your 914. In these cases a very simple external oil cooling system can be added to add a blanket of security in the oil temperature department. Those who have temperature control issues can use our cooling system designed especially for the Porsche 914, called the "914 DTM". Read more about it here on the cooling portion of our site.

Since there is no conversion for the 914 to accept our engine the stock transaxle bolts right up. The stock Porsche 901 transaxle will hold up to 200HP and all but our meanest engines in stock form as long as it’s driven with respect and not abused in first gear. The 901 transaxle has a vast selection of gear ratios but for street driving the stock gearing works well. Those who are more hardcore may opt for a tighter 5th gear but most customers keep the gearbox 100% stock. So, yes our engine will bolt right to your stock transaxle and do so easily and it won’t blow the transaxle apart from the added power.
All of our engines feature new clutches and pressure plates for balance purposes. NO ONE else will price you their engine complete with these parts but ours ONLY come this way because we know the adverse effects of imbalance on the engine.

The Raby "Big 4" is based from YOUR EXISTING Porsche 914 engine so there are no issues with retaining your original engine numbers and there are no risks of receiving an engine that is based from a core that has 400,000 miles on it that came from a salvage yard. Your Raby engine comes complete and ready to install and can be based from ANY 914 engine to include the 1.7, 1.8 and 2.0 because our engine is fully reconstructed. Put simply, it doesn't matter what your old engine used to be; it will return from it's trip to Raby Engine Development with a completely new character and a thoroughbred pedigree.
Jake Raby

Options

Option packages for 914 Engines
If we offer an option, it really is a beneficial item for the engine, not just something to sell you. Here, our engines come with "inclusive options" which are basically things that "other establishments" will try to "up-sell" you on after they give you their cheaper priced engine. This is done to make you feel like their engine is cheaper than ours. Basically the only options that we offer are lightened flywheels and race tolerance balancing. Things like powdercoated engine tins and everything else that the engine has been designed to work with optimally are included in our BASE PRICE
Since all our engine sales are 100% Turn Key complete the engine comes to you simply needing a fuel pump, crankcase breather and exhaust system. Of course we will make recommendations for these sub systems of your engine and go over with you the bare essentials for these items. We do offer exhaust systems to enhance our engines, each designed with RAT development and manufactured on site here at the RAT facility. We do not include them as some people already have them and others like to choose their own. We have found that this works much better for our customers and makes for a simpler build process for all involved.

Once our engine is installed our engine is not a foreign object and all 914 engine manuals could be used along with our directives to keep the engine on the road with preventive maintenance. Our engine does NOT need more maintenance than stock, or adjustments at more regular intervals than stock, when properly installed. We provide the engine to you 100% dyno proven with the best possible settings, you simply keep it set the way we have and don’t worry about it anymore.
Each Aircooled Technology engine comes with a 70 page directive to support the engine's installation and tuning for the rest of its life. This manual also includes critical clearances and settings that are variable with each engine. We know that the life of our engine is heavily dependent upon the installer's ability to integrate the engine into the car correctly, so we support the installation through the reference materials supplied as well as support found exclusively on our support forums.The engine comes so complete that you can fire it up right inside the shipping crate, if you'd like!